Reviews & Quotes

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2010 Pinot Gris, Filigreen Farm, Anderson Valley

91 Points “Made from organic grapes, Horse & Plow’s Pinot Gris is earthy and austere, with finely honed acidity and lovely hints of apricot. Very balanced, dry, a tremendous version of this white wine.” –Wine Enthusiast

90 Points “A substantial Pinot Gris, this wine’s waxy scent develop into a creamy, rich white as it takes on air. Packed with flavors of dry peach, apricot and honeycomb, this is a bold wine for lobster roll.” –Wine & Spirits Magazine

The Chronicle Recommends “Chris Condos and Suzanne Hagins usually aim for more Rhoneish fare with their label, but here they’ve harnessed fruit from Mendocino’s Alsatian haven for a ripe, barrel–fermented effort. Opulent pear, fig and orange peel flavors, with a distinct Boston cream note but plenty of freshness for its larger style. Open it 15 minutes before you serve.” –SF Chronicle

2010 Viognier, Grist Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley

89 Points “Surprisingly dry and crisp for a Dry Creek Valley Viognier. Usually these wines are fatter and sweeter, but not this one. It’s streamlined and elegant, with savory apricot, Meyer lemon and slightly underripe white peach flavors. A nice food wine as an alternative to Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.” –Wine Enthusiast

2010 Chardonnay, McFadden Farm, Mendocino

89 Points “Horse & Plow continues to make nice wines from organic grapes. This vintage shows a subtle lemon streak with a tiny smidge of tropical guava and is all-around balanced, steely and meaty at the same time without overdone oak. Golden honey and lemon finish things off.” –Wine Enthusiast

2009 Chardonnay, McFadden Farm, Mendocino

89 Points “Horse & Plow sourced organic grapes to craft this excellent Chardonnay, giving it the luxe treatment–handpicked, whole–cluster pressed, French oak barrel fermentation and aging nine months sur lee–and it shows. The wine is pretty, with a tropical bouquet that gives way to just enough oak–driven vanilla. Will age nicely but is also ready to drink now.” –Wine Enthusiast

2010 Harvester White, North Coast

88 Points “Horse & Plow continues to impress with its moderately priced wines that taste great. Harvester is a blend of 38% Pinot Gris, 34% Riesling and 28% Chardonnay that’s austere aromatically and deep golden in color, woody and tasting of tart green apple, unearthed mushrooms with a lemony finish.” –Wine Enthusiast

2010 Rose, North Coast

Top 100 Wines of 2011 and SF Chronicle Recommends “This label run by Lutea winemaker Suzanne Hagins and her husband, Chris Condos of Vinum Cellars, has a deft hand with Rhone-native grapes, including this effort sourced mostly from an old vineyard north of Ukiah. A blend of Carignane, Syrah and Grenache with a pleasing grip and spicy bite. Black pepper and celery seed, plus orange peel, apricot and huckleberry.” –SF Chronicle

2009 Harvester Red, Mendocino

91 Points “Winemaker Chris Condos appears to have the magic touch when it comes to coxing great wines out of organic grapes in Mendocino County and this blend of Carignane, Petite Sirah, Charbono, Zinfandel and Grenache is pure testament to that, a bargain bottling full of lavender and plum that presents a magical balance between flavor and grip.” –V.B. Wine Enthusiast

2009 Old Vine Grenache, Testa Vineyard, Mendocino

90 Points “A lovely, miniscule–production Mendocino Grenache, made from certified–organic grapes grown on the old vines of Testa Vineyard, some of the oldest organic vines in the North Coast. The result is a surprisingly bright, lively, fine–drinking Grenache, just as it should be, with lots of juicy cranberry and red fruit on the palate and the bones to age. A tiny bit tight when first opened, it opens up quickly and deliciously.” –V.B. Wine Enthusiast

2009 Old Vine Carignane, Testa Vineyard, Mendocino

90 Points “A very drinkable Carignane made from 40–90 year old certified organic vines grown in Mendocino, punched down by hand and given the gold-glove treatment. The result is juicy and delicious, full-bodied yet somehow light on its feet, a little blueberry here, and a little spice there.” –V.B. Wine Enthusiast

2009 Old Vine Petite Sirah, Testa Vineyard, Mendocino

89 Points “This old vine Petite Sirah gets the royal French oak treatment, the grapes organically grown at Testa Vineyard. This has very nuanced raspberry throughout its big, concentrated and sensuous body, the mid-palate showing its oak but the wine is still very young. Give it air and a few more years to age” –V.B. Wine Enthusiast

2008 Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley

89 Points “Beautiful. Grown in the cool Anderson Valley, this wine was barrel–fermented in older oak, which adds creamy vanilla notes to the intensely ripe citrus fruits, pears and honeysuckle. High acidity makes it all so clean and zesty.” –Wine Enthusiast

2008 Grenache, Unti Vineyard

The Chronicle Recommends “From biodynamic grapes off the Unti vineyard site, Chris Condos (Vinum Cellars) used mostly neutral oak, plus a bit of Mourvedre and Syrah, to create an expression that’s more perfumed and dusty on the nose, with stewed berry fruit and a savory, almost saline bite to the finish. A big dose of tannin provides character and bite.” –San Francisco Chronicle